US treasury secretary urges Greece to resume bailout talks

US Secretary of the Treasury, Jack Lew, spoke over telephone to Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and new Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos and urged them to resume dialogue with international creditors, according to a statement issued by the US Treasury Department.

The US asked Greece to reach a constructive agreement that "will allow Greece to make difficult but necessary fiscal and structural reforms", Efe news agency reported.

Lew told the Greek leaders on Monday that the US was closely monitoring the situation in Greece and offered to stay in touch over the next few days.

US President Barack Obama and his French counterpart Fracois Hollande, had also discussed the Greek crisis on Monday over telephone.

"The referendum is over, but our view here at the White House remains the same," Josh Earnest, White House spokesperson said in a daily press conference, adding that Greece should remain a part of the eurozone.

"It will require both a package of financing and reforms that will allow Greece to achieve, or at least be on a path towards some debt sustainability, but also be on a path towards economic growth," he added.

An agreement will benefit all parties, said Earnest.

European leaders, especially from Germany and Netherlands, are reluctant to agree to Washington's advice that along with a structural reform package, Greece also needs debt relief.